A YOUNG Scot bitten by an insect in Australia has been left paralysed, it was revealed yesterday.

Sean Foster, 21, came out of a coma last week but is still too ill to talk or move.

However, he managed to twitch some muscles in his face yesterday and his friends and family are hopeful he can recover in time.

Sean, from Edinburgh, who arrived in Australia in June for a working holiday, was struck down by the rare nervous condition Guillain-Barre syndrome as a result of an infection in his finger caused by the bite.

His parents, Ian and June, have flown out to Darwin to be at his bedside and will remain in Australia for the next three months as he gets on the road back to fitness.

Meanwhile, an army of Sean’s friends in Scotland are rallying behind the family with a string of fundraising events.

Best pal James Guy, 22, said no one was sure how long Sean’s rehabilitation could last but it is understood victims have taken up to six months to recover.

James added: “The boys he was out in Australia with phone me every time they are at the hospital and I have spoken to Sean through Facetime on the iPhone.

“He can hear me but can’t react and talk back.

“He’s pretty much 100 per cent paralysed at the minute. He can’t move his mouth or do anything and no one really knows when he will be on the mend.”

James said Sean’s medical insurance will likely pay for treatment in Australia but he is determined to raise funds for his rehabilitation.

“It will take a lot of hard work to get him anywhere back to normal,” he said.

“We also want to give his mum and dad some money to support them while they are out there because they spent around £6000 just getting over to Australia.”

A sponsored bag-packing day at a local supermarket and a race night are among the fundraisers planned for Sean, while a bank account has been set up to receive donations.